William C. Ferguson
William Charles Ferguson | |
---|---|
Detroit, Michigan, U.S. | |
Died | October 14, 2015 | (aged 84)
Education | Albion College, Michigan |
Occupation(s) | Chairman & CEO, NYNEX Corporation |
Spouse | Joyce Soby Ferguson (m. 1952) |
Children | Laura Ferguson (b. 1955), Ellen Ferguson Keleman (b. 1958), Joanne Ferguson Gerrish (b. 1967) |
William C. Ferguson (died October 14, 2015) was a telecommunications executive who served as chairman and CEO of NYNEX.[1]
Early life
William "Bill" Ferguson was born in
In order to fund his college tuition, Ferguson held several jobs throughout high school and college summers: loading rims in box cars at Firestone, working on a labor gang at Penn Salt in Wyandotte, Michigan, and caddying at Grosse Ile Golf and Country Club.
June of ’52 was a busy one: graduating college, marrying his high-school sweetheart and joining
An avid three-
Faith also played a role in Bill's life, calling the
Education
Ferguson graduated from
Career
Ferguson had 40 years of telecommunication experience including serving as president and CEO of
Philanthropy and service
A firm believer in a liberal arts education, Bill tirelessly gave back to his alma mater throughout his lifetime. Member of the Albion College board of trustees from 1980 to 2004 and chairman from ’89 to ’96, acting president of the college from 1995 to 1996, visiting professor, guest speaker and recipient of an honorary doctorate.[5]
In 1996, he and Joyce established and supported numerous scholarships and endowments, with the most notable support being the Ferguson Student, Technology and Administrative Services Building dedicated in 2002.
With the help of his wife Joyce, William established scholarships for Albion College students in education, communications studies, music, and the Carl A. Gerstacker Institute for Business and Management. The Fergusons also established endowments to support the Art and Art History Department, faculty development, Whitehouse Nature Center, and the groundbreaking Ferguson Center for Technology-Aided Teaching. The Fergusons dedicated the Ferguson Dance Studio in Kresge Gymnasium to their three daughters: Laura Ferguson, Ellen Keleman, and Joanne Gerrish.[6]
In 2002, the William C. Ferguson Student, Technology, and Administrative building was dedicated as a new home for the college president's office; the offices of academic affairs, finance and management, information technology, institutional advancement, and student affairs; and a twenty-four hour computer lab.[7]
An active member of several corporate boards, including
References
- ^ "William Ferguson" (paid obituary), The New York Times, October 23, 2015.
- ^ "Tribute: BILL FERGUSON".
- ^ "1997 Inductees - Albion College Athletics". www.gobrits.com. Archived from the original on 2014-11-20.
- ^ "Obituaries in Detroit, MI | the Detroit News".
- ^ "Ferguson, '52, Former Albion Trustee and Acting President, Passes Away - Albion College". www.albion.edu. Archived from the original on 2015-10-22.
- ^ "New Page 1". www.albion.edu. Archived from the original on 2002-10-26.
- ^ "Ferguson, '52, Former Albion Trustee and Acting President, Passes Away - Albion College". www.albion.edu. Archived from the original on 2015-10-22.